Wild Wedge wakes up with waves climbing 15 feet and higher

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A surfer rides the waves at the Wedge in Newport Beach early Wednesday morning, May 23, 2018 as a large swell moves onshore to Orange County beaches. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

A surfer rides the waves at the Wedge in Newport Beach early Wednesday morning, May 23, 2018 as a large swell moves onshore to Orange County beaches. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

A surfer rides the waves at the Wedge in Newport Beach early Wednesday morning, May 23, 2018 as a large swell moves onshore to Orange County beaches. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

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A surfer rides the waves at the Wedge in Newport Beach early Wednesday morning, May 23, 2018 as a large swell moves onshore to Orange County beaches. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

A surfer carries his broken board at the Wedge in Newport Beach early Wednesday morning, May 23, 2018 as a large swell moves onshore to Orange County beaches. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

A body boarder rides the waves at the Wedge in Newport Beach early Wednesday morning, May 23, 2018 as a large swell moves onshore to Orange County beaches. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

A surfer rides the waves at the Wedge in Newport Beach early Wednesday morning, May 23, 2018 as a large swell moves onshore to Orange County beaches. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Surfers watch the waves from the jetty at the Wedge in Newport Beach early Wednesday morning, May 23, 2018 as a large swell moves onshore to Orange County beaches. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

A surfer rides the waves at the Wedge in Newport Beach early Wednesday morning, May 23, 2018 as a large swell moves onshore to Orange County beaches. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

A body boarder rides the waves at the Wedge in Newport Beach early Wednesday morning, May 23, 2018 as a large swell moves onshore to Orange County beaches. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

A surfer jumps off his board at the Wedge in Newport Beach early Wednesday morning, May 23, 2018 as a large swell moves onshore to Orange County beaches. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

A body boarder rides the waves at the Wedge in Newport Beach early Wednesday morning, May 23, 2018 as a large swell moves onshore to Orange County beaches. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

A surfer rides the waves at the Wedge in Newport Beach early Wednesday morning, May 23, 2018 as a large swell moves onshore to Orange County beaches. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

A surfer jumps off his board at the Wedge in Newport Beach early Wednesday morning, May 23, 2018 as a large swell moves onshore to Orange County beaches. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

A surfer rides the waves at the Wedge in Newport Beach early Wednesday morning, May 23, 2018 as a large swell moves onshore to Orange County beaches. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

A surfer rides the waves at the Wedge in Newport Beach early Wednesday morning, May 23, 2018 as a large swell moves onshore to Orange County beaches. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

A surfer get covered by a wave at the Wedge in Newport Beach early Wednesday morning, May 23, 2018 as a large swell moves onshore to Orange County beaches. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

A body boarder rides the waves at the Wedge in Newport Beach early Wednesday morning, May 23, 2018 as a large swell moves onshore to Orange County beaches. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

A surfer rides the waves at the Wedge in Newport Beach early Wednesday morning, May 23, 2018 as a large swell moves onshore to Orange County beaches. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

A body boarder rides the waves at the Wedge in Newport Beach early Wednesday morning, May 23, 2018 as a large swell moves onshore to Orange County beaches. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

A body boarder gets some air as he rides the waves at the Wedge in Newport Beach early Wednesday morning, May 23, 2018 as a large swell moves onshore to Orange County beaches. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

A surfer rides the waves at the Wedge in Newport Beach early Wednesday morning, May 23, 2018 as a large swell moves onshore to Orange County beaches. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

The beastly wave showed its teeth this week as the first big south swell of the season roared toward Southern California, the ocean’s energy delivering sizable waves along the California coastline — and especially at the Wedge in Newport Beach, where set waves reached upward of 15-foot. The swell started showing late Tuesday, May 22, with a crowd on the beach marveling at the massive waves as surfers and bodyboarders braved the building-size surf.

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There was still plenty of energy Wednesday, though messy and foamy in the early-morning hours as if the ocean was a big washer machine. More than 30 wave riders tried to take on the beefy waves that slammed the shore.

The Wedge is a unique spot, doubling in size as waves bounce off a rock jetty, the surf bouncing back toward incoming waves to create a “wedge” breaking in shallow water close to shore. Be warned, it is for experts only and can be highly dangerous.

Other south-facing beaches saw sizable surf as well, with waves in the 4-to 6-foot range and higher in areas such as Trestles and Huntington Beach Pier, and at Zuma in Los Angeles County, according to surf forecast company Surfline.com. Winds in some areas, however, created messy, un-ridable surf.

The National Weather Service issued a beach hazard statement this week that is expected to last through Thursday. The NWS warns of other hazards, such as strong rip currents and long-shore currents, with the elevated surf.

“Obey posted warning signs and flags and talk to a lifeguard before swimming. Use caution when in or near the water and always swim near a lifeguard,” the warning reads.

Waves are expected to drop to the 3-to 4-foot range Friday and Saturday before decreasing to 2-to 3-foot Sunday and Monday, according to Surfline.

Laylan Connelly started as a journalist in 2002 after earning a degree in journalism from the University of Southern California. Through the years, she has covered several cities for The Orange County Register, starting as a beat reporter in Irvine before focusing on coastal cities such as Newport Beach, Dana Point and Laguna Beach. In 2007, she was selected for a prestigious Knight New Media fellowship focusing on digital media at UC Berkeley, where she learned skills to adapt to the ever-changing online landscape. Using a web-based approach, she turned her love for the ocean into a full-time gig as the paper’s beaches reporter. The unique beat allows her to delve into coastal culture by covering everything from the countless events dotting the 42 miles of coastline, to the business climate of the surf industry, to the fascinating wildlife that shows up on the shores. Most importantly, she takes pride in telling stories of the people who make the beaches so special, whether they are surfers using the ocean to heal, or the founders of major surf brands who helped spawn an entire culture, or people who tirelessly fight to keep the coast pristine and open for all to enjoy. She’s a world traveler who loves to explore the slopes during winter months or exotic surf spots around the globe. When she’s not working, or maybe while she's researching a story, you can find her longboarding at her favorite surf spots at San Onofre or Doheny.